It is generally assumed that the Isle of Lewis, with around 10,000 Gaelic speakers and the Galway Gaeltacht with a similar number of speakers at its core, although surrounded by partially Irish speaking areas, compete for the prize for the world’s largest ‘Gaeltacht’ or body of Gaelic speakers.

It should be remembered however that Dublin can also boast 10,000 daily Irish speakers in a very different context.

Gaelscéal have this week begun a project to map that community and its activities, everything from Church services, to sport, to social clubs, it is not finished, it perhaps never will be, but it does provide a snapshot of an urban Gaelic speaking community and we hope that it will act as a resource to that community.

I’m remionded of the ‘Eolairí Baile’ Conradh na Gaeilge used to publish, informing people where they could find an Irish-speaking dentist, caterer etc etc. That was useful. I’m not so sure that a map showing the offices of Irish-language organisations is quite as helpful.

Ciarán Dunbar

Good point NN – that is of course what we are aiming for – we needed to begin somewhere and we will be depending on people providing us with information.